Video 4:35
US senator filibusters for almost 24 hours

Ted Cruz a Tea Party Republican from Texas, stopped the US senate in its tracks overnight, speeching for almost 24 hours to make a point about President Obama's health care reforms.

Transcript

TONY JONES, PRESENTER: A Tea Party candidate from Texas stopped the US Senate in its tracks overnight, holding the microphone for a speech that lasted almost 24 hours.

Ted Cruz, who's predicted to run for President in 2016, was making a point about Barack Obama's healthcare reforms.

While he basked in the glory of the national spotlight, the Republican was coming in for some harsh criticism, not just from Democrats, but also from some within his own party.

North America correspondent Lisa Millar reports.

LISA MILLAR, REPORTER: Sustained by nothing more than a few snacks and a deep belief that he's in the right, Ted Cruz got to his feet and started talking.

TED CRUZ, REPUBLICAN SENATOR: The only path, if we're going to oppose ObamaCare, is it to stand together and oppose closure and I would ask for my friends in the Democratic aisle to listen to ...

LISA MILLAR: 21 hours and 18 minutes later, he finished, even if it meant using time-stretching tactics like this:

TED CRUZ: (Reading from book) "Do you like green eggs and ham? I do not like them, Sam, I am, I do not like green eggs and ham."

LISA MILLAR: The reason for the talk-a-thon, an attempt by Republicans to once again derail healthcare reform, one of the most important policy changes Barack Obama has been able to achieve. And the firebrand Texan is leading the charge.

CHUCK SCHUMER, DEMOCRATIC SENATOR: He showed the American people what he was up to, which is basically holding them hostage because he thinks he is right and no-one else has the knowledge that he has.

LISA MILLAR: Pressure by Tea Party conservatives forced the House to agree to strip funding for ObamaCare by removing it from a critical budget bill.

Democrats with the numbers in the Senate won't vote for a budget that doesn't include the healthcare reforms. Republicans with the numbers in the House won't vote for it if it does.

The reason for the high drama: the Government runs out of money on Monday.

JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN: We oppose any efforts to engage in a political battle of the past to try to achieve some sort of ideological victory in a way that doesn't - not only shuts down the Government, but then, if successful, would deprive these very families of health insurance that they need. And we obviously have a difference of opinion.

LISA MILLAR: Ted Cruz finished the fourth-longest speech in Senate history declaring it a success.

TED CRUZ: At this point, the debate's in the hands of the American people.

LISA MILLAR: The budget impasse is likely to be resolved. The US has been down this track before. And other than Senator Cruz raising his own profile, it's debatable what's been achieved. But the debate over healthcare is proving more problematic for the President.

The law was signed in 2010, but within days, the rollout begins. On October 1st, millions of Americans will be able to shop around for coverage through insurance exchanges.

Opponents of ObamaCare, having failed to get it repealed in Congress, are fighting it on the airwaves, hoping if people don't sign up, the reforms fail.

The Obama administration has been winding up its PR campaign, even getting the former president to talk up ObamaCare's merits.

BILL CLINTON, FORMER US PRESIDENT: I think this is a big step forward for America. This will over the next decade not only make us healthier, but it will free up in the private sector largely, funds that can then be reinvested in other areas of economic growth and give us a much more well-balanced economy. But first, we gotta get everybody to sign up.

BARACK OBAMA, US PRESIDENT: When people look and see that they can get high-quality, affordable healthcare for less than their cell phone bill, they're gonna sign up.

LISA MILLAR: The hamstrung Congress is going to face another deadline shortly: the federal debt limit. The US Treasury has said it will run out of money and not be able to make payments by mid-October if the debt limit isn't raised. It's not clear if Republicans are going to use that to launch another attack against ObamaCare.